In order to avoid being discovered and to take care of their adoptive father, Jonathan, Kara and Clark would only visit this uninhabited, mysterious island at night, even though it served as their hidden base.
It wasn't the first time they had been here, but typically, they played for a while before leaving.
Tonight was different. They had engaged in a less intense contest than usual—though still terrifying by human standards—which had led to unexpected events.
As Kara and Clark prepared to leave, a group of dark shadows began moving stealthily toward them under the cover of night.
Suddenly, Kara turned her head sharply.
Thanks to her super vision, Kara could see clearly even in the darkest depths of the ocean. Now, she observed an ugly and bizarre creature approaching them. The beings were humanoid but resembled some sort of fish more than anything else.
They were not only hideous but also terrifying. Their hands were clawed, sharp fins protruded from their shoulders and arms, and their backs displayed jagged, fin-like structures reminiscent of a saber-toothed dragon.
The moment these creatures realized Kara had spotted them, they opened their grotesque mouths and let out ear-piercing, inhuman shrieks. They quickened their pace, rushing toward the siblings.
Kara frowned.
Clark noticed the approaching creatures and quickly asked, "What are those?"
Kara shook her head without answering. Her eyes narrowed, releasing a brilliant blue heat vision ray that streaked toward the monsters.
Clark mirrored his sister's reaction. Hovering beside her, his eyes began to glow red before unleashing bright, fiery heat rays in another direction. Together, the siblings floated side by side, their combined heat vision carving through the attackers like lasers.
Clark's heat vision reached temperatures of hundreds of degrees, while Kara's was close to fifteen hundred degrees—powerful enough to instantly reduce the monstrous creatures to molten remains. With their precise aim, they efficiently eliminated every target.
"They chose the wrong people to mess with," Kara sneered, her tone laced with confidence. While she may have recognized the origin of these monsters, she dismissed any concern, treating them as insignificant threats.
What Kara didn't voice was the creatures' connection to humanity. These beings were remnants of the Atlanteans—the Trench People—who had lost their humanity and reason, degenerating into monstrous predators.
Kara quickly pieced together the mystery of this island. It was located within Trench territory, which explained its eerie isolation.
For ordinary humans, encountering these Trench creatures would mean terror or certain death. For Kara and Clark, however, the creatures were nothing more than an inconvenience, wiped out in moments.
When no more creatures emerged from the sea, the siblings finally ceased their attacks, their heat vision fading.
Clark hovered above the remains, using his super vision to examine the creatures' bodies. His expression turned to one of shock.
"Kara," he said, "these things… they're human, aren't they?"
Clark's microscopic vision confirmed it. Despite their grotesque appearance, the Trench People still retained human genetic structures, remnants of their Atlantean and human lineage.
Kara glanced at her brother. "Let's go. They might carry some kind of disease. Come home with me."
Clark hesitated.
"What is it now?" Kara asked impatiently.
"We… we killed them," Clark said, clearly troubled. "If they were human—"
Kara cut him off with a sharp look. "Clark, listen to me. If you follow the theory of evolution, everything on this planet came from the same single-cell ancestor. Does that mean you feel bad every time you eat beef? Or chicken? Studies even suggest that plants feel pain. Do you feel guilty eating carrots or potatoes?"
She continued, her voice firm but tinged with exasperation. "We make these distinctions between meat and vegetables, but in the end, we're taking lives to survive. Humans are no exception. We just happen to be at the top of the food chain."
Clark looked unconvinced, but Kara pressed on. "Those creatures wanted to kill us, Clark. They weren't going to hesitate. If you're feeling guilty, then maybe this place isn't for you. But don't come crying to me when you start second-guessing yourself while they're trying to rip you apart."
Her tone softened slightly. "Come on. Let's go home."
Clark sighed but followed his sister.
Despite her words, Kara felt a flicker of unease. She didn't want to turn this into a philosophical debate, nor did she want Clark to become cynical like her. Jonathan had always hoped Clark would grow into a symbol of hope—a savior for humanity.
Kara, however, saw herself differently. She wasn't bound by the same ideals. Her methods and beliefs were more extreme, driven by pragmatism rather than ideals of morality.
Even so, she couldn't bring herself to burden Clark with her views. For now, it was enough to know he was safe.
As they flew away from the island, Kara glanced back at the dark waters below. The Trench People were a reminder of how fragile humanity could be—and how dangerous it was to underestimate the unknown.
Kara obviously knew herself very well, so she never guided Clark's thoughts and beliefs too much. At most, she taught him to master his powers and learn new things.
Instead, she highly praised Jonathan for guiding Clark.
Perhaps the path of a hero was difficult, but Kara believed Clark could do it. She didn't want him to become a reckless individual with powers due to her own influence. She was aware she couldn't provide the ideal example of what a hero should be.
After spending time together, Kara took Clark home.
Their encounter with the Trench creatures had been an accident, likely caused by the sheer impact of their earlier clashes. The vibrations had attracted the monsters.
For Kara, the creatures posed no threat, despite their underwater speed rivaling the speed of sound. Clark, however, was troubled by the realization that he may have taken lives during the fight. Kara didn't dwell on it, though, and returned to the site alone the following evening, only to find the creatures' bodies gone—likely dragged away by others of their kind.
After further exploration, Kara discovered a remote area under the sea teeming with Trench creatures. She deduced the ruins of the Trench Kingdom lay nearby.
The sheer number of creatures, possibly in the hundreds of thousands, made her scalp tingle. Clearing them out entirely was nearly impossible. Underwater, her heat vision was far less effective, and using it recklessly could evaporate large portions of the sea. Even her telekinesis and elemental control of water would only delay the inevitable resurgence of such creatures.
For years, Kara had ignored the Trench Kingdom to avoid unnecessary complications. If not for the accident, she would have continued to pretend it didn't exist.
After ensuring there was no immediate danger, Kara returned home. The next day, she planned to head back to Metropolis with Clark. It was time for her to resume work.
She couldn't help but imagine Perry White's reaction to her long absence—he was unlikely to be pleased. She prepared herself mentally for the scolding and made sure to have exclusive leads ready, such as the Batmobile's presence and Oracle's retirement.
On the morning of their departure, Jonathan drove them to the train station. Kara's car had been destroyed during her time away, and she'd need to replace it soon.
Upon arriving in Metropolis, Kara felt a wave of nostalgia. At the station exit, she and Clark parted ways. Clark headed to university for his classes, while Kara returned to the Daily Planet.
Many colleagues expressed surprise at Kara's sudden return.
"Kara, where have you been? You've been gone for so long!" asked one of her former classmates, who now worked at the Planet.
Kara smiled casually. "Something came up. I took a long leave, but I cleared it with Perry."
Others pulled her aside to share updates. "While you were gone, Kate Grant took over your column. Sales dropped at first but eventually recovered. You might want to watch your back."
Kara understood the workplace dynamics well but didn't take the warning to heart. She thanked her colleague and walked over to her old desk—now occupied by Kate.
Standing tall at 6'3", Kara's presence was impossible to ignore. Kate looked up from her work, offering a polite, "You're back, Kara."
"Oh?" Kara replied, feigning surprise. "We're on a first-name basis now?"
She smirked and leaned casually against the desk. "How's the column holding up?"
Kate nodded, looking somewhat nervous. "Thanks to your guidance and suggestions, I managed to keep it afloat. Now that you're back, I can hand it back over."
Kara waved her off. "Don't bother. The readers are starting to accept you. It'd be a shame to shake things up again."
Kate's eyes widened in disbelief. Kara's words made it clear she intended to let her keep the column—a significant gesture, considering how much effort Kara had put into building it.
"But this was your hard work…" Kate stammered.
Kara chuckled. "Relax. I've been thinking about starting a new column anyway. I'm considering something about food—sharing recipes and reviews. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"
Kate's relief was palpable. She hadn't stolen the column; rather, she'd filled in during Kara's absence and, with Kara's occasional advice, had managed to succeed.
Meanwhile, other colleagues who had been watching were surprised by Kara's generosity. Some had expected a showdown, while others had worried about the outcome. Kara, however, remained nonchalant.
Eventually, Perry White emerged from his office. Spotting Kara perched on Kate's desk, he called out, "Kara, Kate, in my office. Now."
Kara smirked and whispered to Kate, "I was wondering how long he could wait."
She slid off the desk, ready for whatever awaited her in Perry's office.
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